This invention relates to an article of manufacture for cleaning the pierced hole of an earlobe. More particularly, the invention relates to a grooved or ruffled rod-like member adapted to contain an absorbent material such as cotton loaded with a cleaning agent to clean the pierced ear hole of the earlobe, to prevent clogging of the earlobe hole and to aid in the healing of an infected pierced ear hole.
One popular item of jewelry has long been the earring. Early earrings included various types of clasps that were attached by compression to both surfaces of the earlobe, but such early type items of jewelry became easily unattached to the lobe with the result that the earring fell off the lobe and was hence lost. Since some earrings had a considerable value, it was sought to find a more permanent method of attaching earrings to the lobe to prevent loss. Also, the above compression-type earrings were often uncomfortable to to the user since they constantly pinched the earlobe. This need brought forth the advent of the pierced ear type of earring where a hole was actually made in the lobe portion of the ear and the earring attached to the lobe by passing a portion thereof through the hole.
While the pierced ear piece solved the problem of loss of valuable items of jewelry it nevertheless introduced the problem of infection in the pierced hole of the lobe and clogging thereof if proper and antiseptic conditions were not always maintained. Since the hole pierced in the lobe is very small, there has not been found on the market any articles of small enough diameter and of particular design to effect cleansing of the pierced hole of the lobe. Crude use has been made of toothpicks for cleaning of the pierced lobe, but toothpicks do not effectively cleanse the hole and are inherently dangerous since wood splinters may pierce the tissue about the pierced hole in the lobe. Metal wires can also be used to clean infected pierced earlobe holes, but these wires likewise are relatively ineffective and unsafe. Most of the antiseptic applicators on the market are not practical for use as earlobe pierced hole cleaners since such applicators are of diameters too large for insertion into the tiny pierced lobe.
Prior art devices also include earrings with hollow rods perforated to allow infectious material to seep into the hollow rod. A cleaning tool may then used to push the infectious material from the interior of the rod, and medicament can be caused to flow into the hollow rod and thence through the perforations to the earlobe. Such devices are obviously complicated and have limited practical value.
These disadvantages and insufficiencies are overcome with the present invention wherein improved articles of manufacture are provided which are particularly designed to clean out the pierced ear hole of the earlobe, to prevent the clogging of the pierced hole, to maintain the ear hole open and receptive when the earring is not being worn, and to function as an applicator to aid in the healing of an infected pierced ear hole. Further, the articles of manufacture of the herein described invention may be constructed to be disposable after use, and are made of materials which render the article relatively inexpensive.